Carmen
by RYCBAR24601
Summary: Clara and the Doctor get stuck in Seville, Spain in the early 1800s and meet a gypsy named Carmen and get entangled in her story driven by fate. One of love, jealousy and murder.
1. Chapter 1

_I like Carmen (the Opera) and I like Doctor Who so here you go. _

_If you would like to be a beta reader let me know. Also let me know if you like this. Or if you hate it. Thanks. _

Clara burst through the doors of the TARDIS only minutes after it had appeared in the lot behind her apartment. That familiar whoosh sound was two weeks late, and the itch to travel had been growing to a constant distraction. Every moment she spent doing dishes felt so much duller knowing that she could be spending it dodging aliens light years away or meeting the very first Dali Llama.

"Well someone is in a rush, you know it is not a becoming trait Clara." The Doctor said in his Scottish accent, but Clara could tell he was glad to see her again by the slight smile on his face.

"You're two weeks late, I'm going to have to start giving you Emily time."

"Emily time?"

"Emily's a friend of mine, who is always late so I have to tell her to come at 6 if I want her at 8." Clara explained. "But for you I'll give you a couple weeks adjustment in scheduling."

"Well the TARDIS ran into a couple bumps…technically difficulties…but I think I've got her fixed now."

"You think…Doctor I do not want to be getting stranded on some distant planet where the people only communicate through stomping their feet."

"Oh but Clara that is a fantastic place…but if you don't want to risk it I could come back after a couple more test runs."

"No…lets just keep it local."

"Local?" The Doctor asked, "Local is boring…don't you want to see the stomping people or an planet where there is actually a purple people eater?"

"Local, Doctor." Clara said looking at him with the expression that she would often give her students when they were getting out of hand.

"Fine, we will stay local…where would you like to go."

"Spain please, I've been taking some Spanish lessons."

"Spain…actually not a bad choice…but we are going back in time, it has been a while since I've seen Hemingway."

The Doctor started sprinting around spinning dials and the TARDIS jerked into action before Clara had a chance to respond.

"The Spanish Civil War Doctor? I was thinking something a little less dangerous." Clara responded as the TARDIS started to shake a little more violently than usual and smoke started leaking out somewhere from the center console.

"Did you have to say that?" The Doctor ran around exasperated trying to correct their course. The dial showing the year spun back from 1930…1900…1870…and finally settled on 1830 as the TARDIS slammed to a halt and everything went dark.

"What were you saying about the TARDIS being fixed Doctor, maybe she didn't want to see Hemingway just as much as you did?"

"She and Hemingway get along just fine, thank you."

"Where did we end up anyways?" Clara asked as she opened the door.

"I don't know…she's gone blank." The Doctor responded as he tried to get the TARDIS to come back to life.

"It's okay Doctor, I know where we are." Clara said pointing to the tower of La Giralda in the distance.

"Sevilla, Spain. And 1830 looks pretty accurate." Clara said as she closed the door and ran down to the closet to find something appropriate to wear.

"Still in a rush Clara? It isn't like we are on a time crunch you know."

"Yeah and you need to fix the TARDIS, but for now I'm eager go explore. Besides I love Spain!" Clara exclaimed. "Flamenco, Bull Fighting, Siestas, and fantastic food."

Clara came back up the stairs wearing a skirt, and old shirt, they didn't quite match but she didn't have time to care. She had pulled her hair back and had secured a flower behind her ear.

"I'm going out Doctor, do you care to join me?"

"I'll be along shortly…but while you are out you might want to look for a job."

"A job? How long are we going to be stuck here?"

"That is to be determined…but perhaps a while."

"Fine…have fun tinkering" Clara said as she left the TARDIS.

The Spanish sun was a great improvement on cloudy London. If she had to get stuck anywhere this wasn't a bad place. Much better than with the purple people eater.

It seemed to be morning and a large group of women were headed together across town.

Factory workers. Clara thought to herself and she jogged to catch up to them. The Doctor did say she should look for a job.

The air smelled heavily of tobacco the longer she walked and she saw a sign that read Real Fabrica de Tobacos by a large almost regal looking stone building by a square where more women were gathering. Soldiers surrounded the building, holding their rifles and seeming more distracted by the women than their duty.

"Do you know who I could talk to about getting a job here?" Clara asked one of the women.

The woman looked her up and down, she wore a neat light linen dress with an apron. "You just work, don't piss off the foreman, when you leave you'll get your money." The woman said tersely before walking over to another group of women.

"You new here?" A voice came from behind her.

Clara turned around to see a woman dressed almost a mismatched as she was, but with an apron like the first woman. She had tanned skin, black hair and piercing eyes.

"Yeah" Clara responded, "just got in today, looking for some work."

"I can't place your accent where are you from?" The woman asked.

"No where in particular. I just travel a lot."

"I'm a traveler too" said the woman. Around here you need to know to hang out with. Some people don't like…travelers."

"Thanks." Clara said, relaxing slightly.

Two other women approached.

"This is Mercedes and Frasquita, you look out for us we will look out for you." The woman said, as she pulled an orange from her pocket and tossed it at Clara.

"I'm Clara." Clara responded, catching the orange.

"Carmen" the woman replied.


	2. Chapter 2

_Authors note: Thank you to those you have read and commented, I hope you continue to do so, I like knowing that people are reading what I put out. Just a note from my last chapter. I do not like Bull Fighting and I won't be including much of it. But because this story line is based on Carmen a certain Matador will end up being important later._

Chapter 2

Clara stared at the woman. Could it really be her? She had heard of a woman named Carmen in Seville around this time, most people had. Clara's mother used to play a recording of Carmen by Bizet with Maria Callas while she cleaned the house. After her mother's death she would listen to that album over and over again until she could predict every note and phrase. This young gypsy woman certainly looked like someone who could steal any man's heart.

The bell rang out and the soldiers parted to make room for the women to file into the factory. Clara saw Carmen wink at a young officer as she passed him and give a flirtatious smile. The solider seemed to ignore her, but Clara could see something burning behind his eyes. Passion?

"Carmen, I don't know why you are insistent on getting him?" Mercedes teased. "There are much nicer catches out there."

Carmen dismissed them, "they're too easy…there is something about this one. I can't tell…"

"I'll tell you" Frasquita responded, "I saw him muttering, stroking a letter he got from his mother."

Carmen flinched slightly at that, trying to not let the others see.

"You know the reason why he is here don't you?" Mercedes asked.

"The reason?" Carmen teased.

"He killed someone and chose the army over jail." Mercedes explained.

"Doesn't everyone deserve a second chance?" Carmen asked.

"Oh please, you're only after him because he ignored you the other day. You're just playing your game."

"Maybe so…but it is such a fun game to play." Carmen retorted back as she took her normal spot at the factory. Nodding to Clara to come and join her.

Clara went and sat next to the three of them, copying their work.

"So Clara…what about you…what brought you here?"  
"Oh you know, just traveling, but some things went wrong and so now it seems we may be stuck here for a while."

"We…? Frasquita asked.

"My…uncle and I" Clara said, not knowing how to explain to them that she was here with her alien friend and they were having transportation trouble.

"Just the two of you…?" Mercedes asked.

"Yes" Clara responded, quickly.

"I get it…I won't ask about your past. Who ever you are running from is no business of mine." Mercedes replied.

But before Clara had a chance to reply the same woman that had been rude to her this morning bumped into their table, scattered their work and muttered "thieves" under her breath before walking away.

Carmen jumped up, "Hey!" she yelled.

"What do you want?" The woman asked turning around.

"What did you call us?." Carmen responded.

"She called you thieves" another woman replied. Standing up to go stand by the other. They both had fair skin and seemed to be better dressed than the other women the the factory.

"Who is that new friend of yours, another smuggler trying to masquerade as an honest worker?"

The first woman chucked.

"Get that smirk off your face. Manuela" Carmen said stepping towards the woman.

"It doesn't matter…" Clara started standing up before Frasquita grabbed her arm and shook her head.

Carmen stepped back taking a breath.

"And people say Carmen can't be tamed…go back to your work whore." Manuela said.

In a second Carmen had turned around and attacked, the woman scratching her face. The other woman pushed Carmen back into a table and she fell onto the ground. Clara could see a rip in her skirt and the sign of blood dripping down her leg but she leapt back up and attacked the woman again.

At that Frasquita and Mercedes jumped up as well. But before they could get to the fighting the guards were in ushering people out, all the women screaming about who started the fight. In the square two groups quickly formed, held back my the guards as they screamed back and forth.

"It was Carmen".

"It was Manuela".

The officer in charge sent the same young officer that Carmen had been flirting with early into the factory to sort out who had done it.

Shortly after chaos erupted and Clara felt the hard tug of her head being jerked back as someone was pulling her hair. She fought to defend herself, now part of this larger fight that she didn't want to be a part of. She made a mental note that next time she should sent the Doctor out to get a job and she could talk to the TARDIS and tinker around and do whatever it was that the Doctor did to get the machine to work. Sorry…not machine. Clara corrected in her mind, slightly nervous that the TARDIS would over hear her from a mile away.

The fight seemed to calm down as Carmen and the other woman who Clara now gather was named Manuela were both forced out of the factory.

"Don Jose?" The officer in charge asked.

"It was Carmen" Don Jose responded, pushing her towards the officer.

Clara looked desperately over at Mercedes and Frasquita who just shook their heads as if this was nothing to worry about.

"What do you have to say?" The officer asked.

Carmen just smiled and started singing. "Tralalala"

The officer started turning red and yanked at Carmen's arms but Carmen just continued singing.

"Tralalala…you can cut me, burn me, but I'm not saying anything. I defy everything."

"Spare us your songs Carmen, now you've been told to answer…now answer" The officer said harshly.

"Tralalala" Carmen continued to sing. "I'm keeping my secret. I love another and I will die saying I love him." At that Carmen looked over at Don Jose.

"If you'll have that attitude you can sing your song to the prison walls."

Carmen just continued singing, flirting with the officer.

"Such a pity." He announced to the women the the other officers. "She really is nice. But she must be made to see sense." The officer said, taking out rope and tossing it to the young officer named Don Jose. Carmen gave him a smile.

He approached slowly, Carmen walked towards him her hands held out to him. He grabbed them and wrapped the rope around them several times before tying a knot tightly and dropping the slack, taking a firm hold of the other end.

"Where are you taking me?" Carmen asked.

"You heard Zuniga…to prison." Don Jose replied.

"Prison…there is nothing you can do?" Carmen asked.

"Nothing. I follow my orders" Don Jose replied turned around away from Carmen and pulling her out of the square. Leaving the rest of the women including Clara with nothing to do than to go back to work.


	3. Chapter 3

_Authors Note: If anyone would like to be a beta reader please let me know. I know that grammar is not one of my strong suits and I would like to keep the story readable. I'm excited about where it is going and don't want to lose readers over grammar._

* * *

Chapter 3

Clara walked down the cobbled streets and tried to wipe some sweat from her face, hoping that the Doctor had fixed the TARDIS enough so that she could take a shower. Seville in July it turned out, was quite warm and Clara was starting to miss the modern conveniences of air conditioning. She had left Mercedes and Frasquita after her first day as a factory worked with some escudos in her pocket and with a promise to meet them at a tavern near the edge of town later tonight.

Walking through the blue doors she simply found the Doctor muttering to himself and stroking the console.

"Doctor?" Clara said. Announcing her presence, and nervous about the update on their current situation.

"Ah Clara, you're back." The Doctor said jumping up.

"Yes. How are things here?"

"Good news. We have basic functions back."

Thank God. Clara thought to herself, a shower.

"And what's the bad news?"

"She still won't move. We are stuck here for the moment. But what is it like here? Find anything interesting?"

"You could say that." Clara responded.

The Doctor instantly perked up a bit. It was clear that he was more than a little nervous about getting trapped in a boring routine. Not being able to skip the Mondays and all. "What have you found?" He asked.

"A gypsy woman named Carmen." Clara replied.

"Clara we have been through this, stories are not necessarily historical events. Carmen is a common name." The Doctor deflated a bit.

"A woman named Carmen, who works in the tobacco factory with her two friends? Is currently pursuing a officer named Don Jose who apparently is a past killer and momma's boy? And was just taken to prison by him after getting in a fight at the tobacco factory?"

"Well..." The Doctor said trying to think of an explanation. "Many stories are based on real life people and situations."

"Really Doctor I had no idea." Clara responded sarcastically. "I'm going to take a shower, but get ready to go because we are meeting them at a tavern tonight."

"Lillas Pastia's tavern?" The Doctor asked.

"Yes, I didn't know you were a fan of the Opera."

"There are many things that you don't know about me Clara."

"I know." Clara replied, "then you know how it ends?"

"Ah yes. Jealousy leads to murder. A story for the ages." The Doctor replied with a grin.

"Yes, but Doctor...that murder is actually going to happen, to an actual person."

The Doctor's facial expression changed. "Clara you can't."

"What are you telling me, this is another fixed point in time?"

"In a way yes. Stories are important to cultures Clara, if you take away the basis for a story or change the way that the story plays out then you change the culture. You change art and the way it evolves."

"So you say I should let a woman get murdered so things stay the status quo."

"You can't know how changing one thing will effect things for centuries. It could be drastic, and in this case it probably would be. You can't give Carmen a happy ending. Just leave things be Clara." The Doctor responded.

"I'm going to take a shower." Clara responded, ending the conversation. She knew that the Doctor was right, but she didn't want him to be.

* * *

Clara and the Doctor arrived at the tavern a couple hours later only to find Frasquita, Mercedes and Carmen all sitting together at a table with a drink in hand.

Mercedes jumped up as they walked in the door.

"So you found the place?" Mercedes asked.

"Yeah." Clara responded. "I'm good with directions, this is my uncle" Clara said pointing to the Doctor. The women nodded at him before looking at the bar where a group of men were drinking.

"Doctor why don't you go get acquainted with the bar keeper and his friends."

The Doctor looked at her suspiciously, trying to indicate 'don't do anything stupid, remember what we talked about' through jerky movements of his neck and up and down motions of his eye brows.

"Okay, I'll be right over there." The Doctor replied.

"He thinks it is important I know where he is at all times." Clara said half laughing to the women rolling her eyes after he had walked away. "But he comes in handy in some situations, smarted than you think you know?"

They nodded.

"Carmen was just telling us about her escape from time in prison." Frasquita replied turning back to Carmen.

"It was nothing." Carmen replied looking at Clara, "just the normal song and dance. Told Don Jose about this cheery little tavern we've got here, how it would be much nicer with company and convinced him to let me go."

"Just like that he let you go?" Mercedes asked.

"You should know by now girls, a cage isn't for me. And I'm starting to think that a cage avoids me just as much as I avoid it."

"Why did he do it?" Clara asked.

"Because he loves me." Carmen responded matter of factly.

"And you?" Clara asked.

Carmen simply shrugged.

"Isn't it about time for you to have a new lover. It has been over a week since you got rid of the last one." Frasquita asked.

"Enough of this talk." Carmen interrupted. "Lets have more to drink, what is life for if not enjoyment?"

The three women all smiled and raised their glasses in unison. "Pastia more wine." They all demanded.

The slightly chubby man from behind the bar walked over with a jug and a glass for Clara. The other men including the Doctor followed.

Once they arrived the Doctor leaned over and whispered in Clara's ear, "I think I know how we can get out of here."


	4. Chapter 4

_Authors note: The majority of this chapter is from the beginning of Act 2 of Carmen. Act 2 will be completed in the next chapter._

* * *

"You know a way to fix the TARDIS?" Clara asked as she and the Doctor left the tavern.

"I know a way that I WILL be able to fix the TARDIS" The Doctor clarified.

Clara looked at him, waiting for him to elaborate.

"Napoleon" The Doctor finally said.

"Excuse me?"

"Napoleon, that short bastard is going to be our way out and back to normalcy."

"I think I'm missing something." Clara said, still confused and wondering whether or not to challenge the Doctor on his definition of normalcy.

"Napoleon was in Spain not too many years ago. Remendado said that he and some other men heard about a stash that he hid in the mountains. They are going to go there are smuggle it into Sevilla to sell."

"And you think you can use one of these things to fix the TARDIS?" Clara asked.

"It is the only lead I've got at the moment." The Doctor said.

"Well how soon will they go and get these things." Clara asked.

"A couple weeks."

"A couple weeks?!" Clara asked.

"Maybe longer. So for now just continue on, acting normal. I'm going to integrate myself in with Remendado and his crew so that they trust me when the time comes. You do the same with the women, and everything will just be fine. We just have to blend in."

"Yeah...blend in." Clara said to herself.

* * *

About Two months later

"Meet you at Pastia's tavern tonight?" Carmen asked as work let out.

Clara took a cloth that she now carried with her and wet it with water from a nearby fountain and dapped at the back of her neck attempting to cool down.

"Of course" Clara replied, winking before she headed off towards the TARDIS.

The Doctor wasn't there when she arrived, she figured he was probably at the tavern already. He had done a surprisingly good job blending in and after a few delays he said that the trip into the mountains was not far off.

Clara took a quick shower, washing the smell of tobacco off of her now much tanner skin before heading towards Lillas Pastia's tavern herself.

When she arrived there was a man in the corner playing a guitar and Carmen was on the table dancing and singing a song about music. At every chorus she let out a tralalala and clapped her hands above her head. Zuniga, the Liutenant from when Carmen was arrested, looked up at her with a smile on his face.

Frasquita walked up to the table and cleared her throat, stopping the dancing and merriment.

"Well...?" Carmen asked.

"Gentlemen, Pastia tells me..." Frasquita started before she was interrupted by Zuniga.

"What does the Master Pastia want this time." he stated sarcastically.

"He say the magistrate wants the inn closed."

"Ohh..." Zuniga said, his pomp from mocking Pastia leaving suddenly, "Well we will go and you will come with us" he replied, gesturing to all the women.

"No we're staying" Frasquita responded, not pleased by Zuniga's attitude.

"Fine." Zungia retorted. "Carmen, aren't you coming? Unless you have a grudge against me."

"A grudge against you?" Carmen laughed. "Why would I have a grudge against you?"

"For the solider sent to prison because of you."

Carmen looked up interested, "What have they done with him?"

"He is free now." Zuniga replied.

Carmen tried to hide a smile. "He is free, so much the better. Goodnight to you gentlemen."

"Good night to you gentlemen." Frasquita and Mercedes echoed.

As they said this a roar could be heard from outside, growing from a murmur to distinguishable words.

"Hurrah Hurrah for the Toredor, Hurrah for Escamillo."

"Of course." Zuniga said. The occupants looked to him for explanation. "It must be a torchlight procession, there was a bull fight earlier. The winner was from Granada."

At that the door of the tavern swung open, the flickering of the torches could be seen and a handsome man still in his suit of lights marched in.

"Will you drink with us comrade?" Zuniga asked, getting a glass of wine from the bar and handing it to him, "to your past and future triumphs!"

The man smiled and took the glass. "I return your toast. Gentlemen, soldiers and bullfighters understand each other. Fighting is their game." He took a swig of the wine and smiled again.

"Tell us about the fight Escamillo" One of the men who came in with the procession asked.

"The ring was packed with spectators, it was a holiday of course." Escamillo started. The tavern hushed to hear him speak.

"They were all yelling 'On guard, on guard' and I listened but I knew that two dark eyes awaited me. Suddenly it all became hushed and the bull comes bounding out." He jumped back as if there was an actual bull coming at him. The picador was out first, riding his horse. The bull charged and the horse rolled over taking the picador with him. 'Bravo bull' the crowd cheered. The bull was enraged, shaking the banderillas in his back, there was blood everywhere. The men run, leap over the barriers. 'It's your turn now' one of them tells me. I could hear the crowd start to scream again 'Toreador.'"

The tavern echoed back "Toreador".

Escamillo walked over to Carmen stopping his story, "Hey gorgeous, a word?"

Carmen turned around and mouthed sarcastically, "me?"

"What is your name? When I am in danger I want to utter your name."

"Carmen...or Carmencita it doesn't matter." Carmen replied nonchalantly.

"And if someone were to say that he loved you?..." Escamillo teased.

"Then I would say that I do not need loving." Carmen responded. Two could play at this game.

"That is not a friendly answer. But alas a will content myself with hoping and waiting." Escamillo replied, bowing slightly to her.

"To wait is permitted, to hope is sweet." Carmen replied as Escamillo and the rest of the crowd headed out.

Zuniga walked over to Carmen, "Since you won't come with us Carmen I shall return."

"Do what you want but you will be making a mistake." Carmen replied before turning back to Clara, Mercedes and Frasquita.

"I'll take the risk." Zuniga replied before heading out.

Carmen rolled her eyes. The remaining men including the Doctor came over to their table to join them.

"Quickly, what is new?" Frasquita asked in a hushed voice.

"The news isn't too bad, we may still be able and ready to pull off a good job. But we require your services."

The women all looked at each other.

"Our services?" They asked teasingly. Clara had been with them long enough that even she was able to chime when they responded in unison.

"Yes, we require your services...we have a scheme in mind" Dancaire replied.

Clara figured this must be the one that the Doctor had been talking about, the one with some of Napoleon's treasure.

"It is brilliant but we require your services."

"Ours?" The women chimed back

"Yours" The men responded, even the Doctor talking part.

"For we humbly and most respectfully acknowledge that when it comes to trickery and deception, it is always good to have women around. And without them, no one ever does very well."

"Without us no one does any good?" Mercedes asked.

"Well isn't that your opinion?' Remandado asked.

"Well of course it is." Mercedes responded.

"Then it is settled you will go?" Remandado asked.

"Whenever you like." Mercedes and Frasquita responded. Carmen remained uncharacteristically quiet.

"Carmen my love, won't you come?" The men pleaded.

"No I won't." Carmen responded bluntly.

"You wouldn't leave us in a lurch like this?" The men asked.

"Carmen come with us." Frasquita and Mercedes joined in.

"I won't go." Carmen replied forcefully.

"At least tell us why?" Clara asked, already knowing the answer herself.

"Fine I will tell you the reason." Carmen said.

"Well?" The men asked.

"The reason is...I'm in love."


	5. Chapter 5

_And we are back with the conclusion of Act 2. Please let me know what you like or don't like, or if you would like to be a beta reader. Thanks._

* * *

"What did she say?" Remandado asked shocked.

"She said she is in love." Mercedes replied with a bit of a giggle. Clara couldn't help but laugh herself. Of course she knew this was coming, she knew the story. But she had also gotten to know Carmen as more than just a seductive gypsy on a stage and this recent turn didn't seem like her.

"In love?" Dancaire asked stunned.

"Yes in love." Carmen said a little more forcefully this time, as if their surprise was unwarrented.

"Carmen be serious." Dancaire pleaded.

"Head over heels in love." Carmen said as she hopped off the table that she was was sitting on and began to skip around the group playfully. Dancaire grabbed her arm as she passed and Carmen stopped to look at him. Ready for both the logical explanation that she knew he was about to give her and just as ready to dismiss it.

"I will admit I am surprised by this announcement, but let's be honest this is not the first time that you have been in love and you have always been able to mix love and duty before."

Carmen starred at Dancaire until he released her arm, "friends" she said, "you know that I would like to go with you, we always have such fun. But I'm afraid tonight love must come before duty."

"That can't be your final word? Dancaire pleaded.

"It is." Carmen replied quite seriously, starting to walk across the room as a sign of a final dismissal of the whole idea.

"You have to come with us." Remandado pleaded, "the job can't be done without you."

Carmen looked for a moment at Clara, Frasquita and Mercedes, "That much is true." She replied.

"Hey!" Mercedes responded.

"But I still won't come with you, not tonight."

"Who are you waiting for anyways?" Dancaire asked.

"Jose" Mercedes whispered under her breath in a slightly mocking tone, obviously still hurt my Carmen's remark; although Clara knew she would be over it soon.

"What was that?" Remandado asked, not quite hearing Mercedes.

"Jose." Carmen said loudly, "a solider who helped me out the other day and because of it ended up in prison.".

"And how do you even know that he will come?" Dancaire asked.

Just then a loud conversation could be heard between a man and some of the dragoons that were stationed outside the inn. The group hurried over to look out of the small and dirty window, all 6 of them struggling to see out at the same time.

"That is how." Carmen said pointing to Jose who could be seen in the distance in his uniform.

"He is handsome dragoon." Frasquita said.

"A very handsome dragoon." Mercedes agreed.

"Who might be a very useful companion to us." Dancaire said after a slight pause looking at Carmen hopefully.

"Tell him to come with us?" Remandado asked, hoping for a chance that they still might go on with their plan tonight.

"He would never agree." Carmen said looking at them both.

"Ask him at least." The Doctor asked. Carmen turned around to look at him, trying to hide a look of surprise that Clara also felt by the Doctor joining the conversation. The Doctor didn't speak much, at least not when he was around the women, not around the main character. The Doctor had already explained to Clara that they couldn't intervene, they had to let things happen as they would. But after two months the Doctor had become friends with the smugglers and Clara had become friends with Carmen, Frasquita and Mercedes. They weren't bystanders anymore they were becoming part of the story.

"Fine." Carmen replied, nodding to the Doctor, "I will ask him." The Doctor nodded his thanks.

Outside the voice of Jose could be heard getting closer, "I go where the love of my fair lady calls me."

The men looked at Carmen and rolled their eyes, Remanado mouthing the word, "seriously?"

"I will ask him to join us, but you all need to leave." Carmen said, pointing towards the kitchen.

They all nodded and and left Carmen behind, Clara trailing slightly.

When they got to the kitchen Clara stopped, peaking around the corner, still able to see Carmen pacing by the door but hidden herself. She jumped when the Doctor tapped her shoulder.

"Come on." The Doctor said, nodding in the direction of the rest of the group who had all situated themselves in the back corner of the kitchen, discussing their new plans.

"I'm good here." Clara replied.

"It is not polite to pry Clara." The Doctor replied, almost scolding.

"I'm not prying, I'm...observing. By the way how do you get people to trust you, and agree to do things for you like that. Have you spoken with Carmen before?"

"No we've never had a conversation."

"Then how?" Clara asked.

"Look Clara, I am an old man with a box and for some reason people listen to me and often times go with me in that box while it hurdles through space, most seem fairly trusting. And sometimes that trust seems to follow me even when I am not traveling in the box, which I haven't done for quite some time..." The Doctor sighed for the moment. "You agreed to come with me didn't you?"

"Fair enough. You said you were going to be over there?" Clara indicated back to the corner.

"Yes, have fun...observing." The Doctor said as he walked away.

Not long after Jose walked through the door.

"So it is you" Carmen said, walking up to meet Jose.

"Carmen!" Jose proclaimed, kissing Carmen, but quite timidly compared to the passion in his voice.

"So you are out of prison?" Carmen asked.

"Yes, I was in two months."

"Are you complaining?"

"No of course not, for you I would still be there."

"So you love me?" Carmen asked a smile slowly growing on her face.

"I adore you!" Jose replied, kissing her again, this time much less timidly, Carmen skillfully slid off his sword and it landed with a thunk on the wooden floor.

"Your officers were in here earlier today." Carmen said, "They made us dance for them."

"You danced for them?" Jose asked, his face getting red.

"Are you jealous?" Carmen asked.

"Of course I am jealous." Jose replied.

"Good" Carmen smiled and took off Jose's jacket took his Jose's hand and lead him to a chair. "I will dance for you now."

Carmen went to grab some cups to use as castanets.

"Carmen wait just a moment." Jose said, starting to sit up.

"What is it?" Carmen asked pushing him back into his seat again.

"I thought I heard bugles in the distance."

"So much the better, it is hard to dance without music." Carmen started to tap the cups together and move her hips, singing softly yet the sound of her voice filled the room.

The bugles sounded again and Jose stood up, Carmen stopping and looking at him obviously annoyed.

"Where are you going?" Carmen asked.

"The bugles, you didn't understand, they mean retreat, I must go back to the barracks for roll call."

Carmen just laughed. "To quarters for roll call?"

Jose nodded.

"Of course I was so stupid, I go out of my way and take the trouble to entertain a gentleman, I sing, I dance and god forbid I almost fall in love, but then taratata" Carmen imitated the sound a bugle, "the bugle sounds and he is off, take your jacket and get out." Carmen went to where she dropped Jose's jacket on the floor and threw it at him.

"Carmen please don't tease me, I swear to you it pains me to go, I have never loved a woman as I love you, but I must go."

"Taratata, my god it is the retreat I must go and he rushes off and that is his love." Carmen picked up his sword and threw that at him too.

"So you don't believe my love?" Jose asked.

"Of course not."

Jose moved towards Carmen quickly and grabbed her arms suddenly, it made even Clara jump from where she was hidden out of sight.

"Very well, but you shall hear me." Jose said forcefully.

"I don't want to hear anything."

"You shall hear me!" Jose repeated.

"You're going to be late."

"You shall hear me!" Jose let go of Carmen tossing her back reaching into his pocket taking out a flower, "do you remember giving this to me?" he asked.

Carmen shrugged.

"You threw this flower at me Carmen when we first met and I have held on to it, cherished it. I kept it with me in prison it dried up but it kept it's scent. For hours I would smell it become drunk almost off of it's scent and the thought of you. And I thought of only one thing, one desire, to see you again, because I do love you, you must know that!"

"No you don't love me" Carmen said much more calmly than Clara would have expected.

"What?" Jose asked.

"If you did love me you wouldn't leave, you would follow me over there." Carmen said gesturing towards the north in the direction of the mountains.

"Carmen!" Jose almost pleaded.

"Into the mountains, you would take me on your horse and we would go off across the country into the mountains, there you wouldn't have any bugles telling you to leave your lover, you wouldn't be dependant on anyone. Just the open sky, the wandering life, the whole world your domain, the law your own free will. And the most intoxicating thing, much more than that flower I gave to you, freedom."

"Carmen have pity."  
"Come with me to the mountains Jose, if you love me"

"Carmen you are asking me to abandon my uniform to desert, I can't do that."

"Fine then leave."

"Carmen..."

"No I don't love you anymore, get out." Carmen said forcefully walking towards the door.

Just then there was a knock at the door.

"Carmen, Carmen hello are you there?" Clara recognized the voice of Zuniga.

"Shit" Carmen muttered.

"Who is that?" Jose asked

"Keep quiet." Carmen responded.

The door swung open and Zuniga came in, obviously drunk and looking between Carmen and Jose.

"Carmen...Carmen...don't you know it is demeaning to take the soldier when you have the officer." He said walking towards her. "Go on Jose."

"I will not go." Jose answered.

"What?" Zuniga said, surprising, "I believe I gave you an order."

"I shall not go." Zuniga swung at Jose, Jose stumbling back somewhat before drawing out his sword.

"Men and their jealously." Carmen said moving herself between them before calling out, "HELP, HELP."

Clara looked over to the corner where Dancaire and Remandado were already getting up and running out to see what was going on. Dancaire and Remandado grabbed Zuniga and forced him into the chair that Jose had been sitting in not long before.

"My officer" Carmen started, walking towards him, "I'm afraid love has played you a dirty trick. You see you have come at quite an inconvenient time and we are going to have to detain you for at least an hour."

Mercedes came out of the room with some rope which she tossed to Carmen to tie Zuniga to the chair, Jose coming over to help her.

"Are you one of us now?" Carmen asked Jose.

"It seems I have no choice." He answered.

"Not so nicely put" Carmen shruggled, "but once you experience the wandering life you will be happy. Open sky but most of all FREEDOM." She almost yelled that last word.

Dancaire, Remandado, Mercedes and Frasquita all echoed, "Freedom!"

Jose took off his jacket, his uniform and muttered under his breath, "Freedom." as the group walked towards the door.

The Doctor leaned over and whispered to Clara, "it seems the plan is back on."


End file.
